Former Arsenal and Northern Eire captain and supervisor Terry Neill has handed away on the age of 80.
Belfast-born Neill was Arsenal’s youngest captain at 20 and performed greater than 270 video games for the membership between 1957 and 1970.
Neill was solely 34 when he returned to managing Arsenal, main the Gunners to 3 consecutive FA Cup finals.
The defender has gained 59 worldwide caps, together with a stint as Northern Eire player-manager.
Neill was born in 1942 and performed for the Bangor youth staff earlier than becoming a member of Arsenal for £ 2,500 in 1959.
He made his first staff debut at 18 and was quickly Arsenal’s youngest ever captain, a document that also stands.
Neill was 28 when he ended his taking part in days with a spell as a Hull Metropolis player-manager.
When requested who the identify was on his staff card whereas he was Northern Eire player-manager, he famously remarked: “Me! Then George Greatest and Pat Jennings”.
Neill was additionally proud to say he scored the one objective of the match the final time Northern Eire beat England at Wembley 50 years in the past.
After a stint at Arsenal rival Tottenham, changing legendary double winner Invoice Nicholson, he returned to Highbury because the youngest supervisor within the membership’s trendy historical past.
The signings of world-class stars corresponding to Malcolm MacDonald and Jennings, in addition to the emergence of excellent younger expertise together with Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton and David O’Leary, have re-established Arsenal as top-of-the-line golf equipment within the nation.
It was then that, after appointing Don Howe as supervisor, he led Arsenal to these three consecutive FA Cup finals, successful the trophy dramatically within the 1979 remaining towards Manchester United.
Neill then led the staff to the third Wembley remaining in 1980, simply days earlier than shedding on penalties within the Cup Winners’ Cup remaining to Valencia.
Neill retired from soccer on the age of 41 after leaving Arsenal in 1983. He then launched into a profitable profession within the media.
In an announcement, Arsenal praised Neill’s “mixture of tenacity, imaginative and prescient and pure management” as a participant.
“After impressing in Hull Metropolis, Terry was appointed Tottenham Hotspur supervisor in September 1974 and in June 1976 made the brief journey again to Highbury to tackle the vacant supervisor position of Bertie Mee,” the assertion added.
“He made a grasp stroke by bringing former teammate and supreme tactician Don Howe to work alongside him and the Gunners have turn out to be some of the efficient cup groups within the nation.
“Regardless of now not working in soccer administration, Terry remained an everyday presence at Highbury after which at Emirates Stadium, together with being a well-liked tv commentator and columnist in quite a few publications.
“His improbable contribution – and certainly his character – will at all times be appreciated by all related to the membership. Our ideas exit to Terry’s household and shut pals throughout this tough time.”